


When the circus came to town.

by Loxare



Category: Batman (Comics), Batman - All Media Types
Genre: Gen, Major character death in reference to the Flying Graysons, Which happened in canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-26
Updated: 2017-09-26
Packaged: 2019-01-05 18:31:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 828
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12195348
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Loxare/pseuds/Loxare
Summary: The circus rolls into Gotham and spreads cheer and joy to all who see it.





	When the circus came to town.

On Wednesday, the circus rolled into Gotham. They all worked together to set up the big top, the blue and white stripes telling all who saw it that joy and laughter were to be had by everyone! The animals were led to their bowls, having a rest and a run after a long day's travel, and when the sky got dark, the performers went to their tents to sleep.

On Thursday, the performers spread out. The clowns went to the street corners to juggle and distribute flyers. No makeup, not after that debacle last year with the Joker, but they brought a smile to childrens' faces regardless. Acrobats walked through the streets on their hands or on stilts, passing out flyers telling people that the circus was in town and that tickets were available at the door. Thursday night, the performers had a bonfire, and then went to bed early, so as to be properly rested for tomorrow.

On Friday, the circus opened. People cheered as the acrobats performed death-defying stunts, gasped as the lion tamer tickled the jaws of the ferocious beasts, oohed as the strongmen lifted the unliftable with ease. And in the middle seats, Stephanie Brown sat with her father. She was four years old and this was her first circus. Her father had taken her to celebrate getting his own game show. She spent the entire evening being dazzled by the bright lights and colourful costumes. When she got home, she was almost sick from all the popcorn she'd eaten.

The Saturday matinee played host to Captain Jim Gordon and his fifteen year old daughter Barbara. She was too old for the circus, but there weren't any good movies playing, and it was the one place she knew she could take him where his phone had to be off. An hour and a half of wonder and joy and spending time with her dad.

Saturday evening, Helena Bertinelli walked in. She had heard that the circus had been threatened by some gang members and she wanted to know if they were connected to Mandragora. Despite herself, she found herself enjoying the evening. She couldn't find any ties between the thugs who had threatened the circus and the scum who had killed her family, so she tipped the police to the threats anonymously and left. She had other cities to search.

The Sunday matinee went off without a hitch, as did the Sunday evening show. On Monday afternoon, a man named Willis Todd lifted a couple of tickets to the evening show and took his five year old son Jason. The lady at the popcorn stand gave Jason a second box of popcorn for being, “such a sweetheart,” and Jason ate until he was full. When the Flying Graysons came out, he didn't blink once.

On Tuesday, Kate Kane and her father took their seats in the front row. Kate was leaving for the West Point soon and her dad wanted to treat her. She smiled and laughed and said she was far too old for the circus, but she was enchanted nonetheless. It was the best day she'd had with her father in a long time.

Wednesday's show was lively, and Thursday's was bright. Friday saw them at another full house. A small boy named Tim got to shake the hand of the circus' youngest acrobat, and one of the fire-eaters was kind enough to take a photo of their two families as a memento.

On Friday, the thugs who had threatened the ringleader a week earlier grew impatient. They sabotaged the trapeze lines, just before one of the rubes came backstage to grab them. They hoisted the trapeze up, not knowing they were frayed.

On Friday, as the show started, the Drakes took their seats. Bruce Wayne, who had come early, had seats closer to the front, if only so he could stretch out his long legs without having to worry about kicking anyone by accident. He regretted it when the trapeze act came on and he had to crane his neck way too far back.

On Friday, the youngest Flying Grayson, Dick, leapt from one bar to the next. When Pop Haly announced his quadruple somersault, he performed it flawlessly, with a smile on his face. He leapt off of the trapeze and watched while his mom and dad did their duo act. He would jump in when Mary beckoned, to do the grande finale, all of the Flying Graysons at once.

On Friday, Mary spun a little too fast, and landed a little too hard. Her husband caught her, as he always did. But this time, something gave way. Not her husband, her wonderful, unyielding husband. He caught her, but still she felt herself falling.

On Friday, the circus witnessed a tragedy. As did Tim Drake, who was too young yet to do anything about it, and Bruce Wayne, who was not.

And that was when the circus came to town.

 


End file.
